Below are a few resources and recommendations to help sustain an environment of appreciation and recognition. For more information, please feel free to contact the members of the Appreciation & Recognition committee.
Resource List
Websites/Articles
How to Recognize and Reward Your Employees
Videos
TED Talks about Employee Recognition
Books
- Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: Getting Good People to Stay (26 Engagement Strategies for Busy Managers), Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans, 2005
- Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Daniel H. Pink, 2009
- The Power of Thanks: How Social Recognition Empowers Employees and Creates a Best Place to Work, Eric Mosley and Derek Irvine, 2014
- First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently, Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, 1999
- Diverse Teams at Work: Capitalizing on the Power of Diversity, Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe, 2003
- Flex: The New Playbook for Managing Across Differences, Jane Hyun and Audrey S. Lee, 2014
- The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg, 2014
Suggestions for Recognition
In addition to monetary and non-monetary rewards, there are many ways to show appreciation to colleagues and staff members, and recognize them for outstanding work and behaviors that contribute meaningfully to a unit, department, or to the College. Here are some. Keep in mind that different people find different types of recognition meaningful. Some may prefer public recognition and some may prefer more private recognition.
- Give a colleague/staff member a handwritten thank you-card.
- Bring someone their favorite coffee or morning beverage.
- Have a department potluck breakfast or lunch.
- Establish a “Behind the Scenes” award specifically for those whose actions are not always in the limelight and/or an ABCD award (Above and Beyond the Call of Duty).
- Acknowledge individual achievements by including staff members’ names when preparing reports for the division or senior managers.
- Send a note to all team members at the conclusion of a project to thank them for their work.
- Start staff meetings with recognition of recent tasks that were completed, or achievements by staff members.
- Write a letter of praise and send a copy to senior management and to Human Resources for the staff member’s personnel file.
- When you receive praise or accolades about colleagues, share this with them.
- Nominate someone for a formal award program (e.g., Excellence Award, Spirit of Emerson)
- Encourage staff members to attend College events.
- Encourage staff members to participate on campus-wide committees.
- Designate staff members to attend meetings in your place when you are not available.
- Express an interest in employees’ career development goals.
- Recognize employees who actively serve the community.
